Be There
by TheDarkestHours
Summary: Set after 15x17. Teddy is very affected after the loss of her patient's baby. This, some old memories and overwork end up affecting her health. As always, Owens is there for her and their daughter. ***Towen***
1. Chapter 1

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

**Hi guys, so, I've a good and bad news. **

**The good is that I'm bringing you this new fic that I really hope you like it, it will be short, 3-4 chapters.**

**The bad news is that I won't be able to update my other fics for at least a week and a half/two weeks. The last time I updated I was at home but I forgot my USB with all my fics there, I will go back home in a week, so after catching up with family and friends I promise to update.**

**So, this was born as a kind of apology, also because I got inspired after the new epi, the new promo and the song "Be There" by Seafret, as well as a response to a DM that I received from "towensanatomy" on twitter (I think), to write about Teddy missing her mom, I hope you all like it.**

**To your question (in the DM) about my social networks, yes I have, but they're personal. I thought about opening a Tumblr or Twitter account to post about my fics, but that was before being dragged into the drama and toxicity of the Grey's fandom without me wanting it. I follow three or four accounts for the edits, but I don't get involved beyond than what I write, this is my contribution to the fandom :)**

**So if one day any of you want to ask me something, send me ideas/suggestions for a fic, prompts, a quote for me to write to fic over it, anything my DMs are always open, as long as it is not hate.**

**Anyway, sorry for the long ramble. **

**Enjoy!**

**And let me know what you think ;)**

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_**A/N: **__**For creative purposes in this fic Tom and Teddy are over and she didn't go to Palm Springs, so Teddy is single again**_

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_**TEDDY**_

I can't look.

I can't look as Carina pulls that teeny-tiny baby out of her mother's womb. That unexpected baby, but so loved.

Ever since Owen told me that Lizzie was pregnant there was no time when I didn't think of my own daughter. My very active little girl who was safely protected in my belly, moving, kicking and twisting all the time. Lizzie would never feel this. Probably she was just starting to feel the first flutters...

_20 weeks_...

Just the same weeks I was when Owen and I found out the gender.

_"We're having a baby girl"_

Lizzie was also going to have a girl.

I can't even look at her face lying there in front of me on the operating table. I feel ashamed, I feel that I've failed her, I didn't give all to save her baby, her little girl.

I look to the other side until Carina has taken the baby out, then I turn all my attention to doing the other painful part of all this hurtful process... performing the hysterectomy.

I can feel my whole being trembling. Owen looks at me like a hawk, analyzing each and every one of my movements. Waiting for the slightest hint of vulnerability to send me out of the O.R., but I stay stoic. Although inside I'm dying. My little girl gives me a very painful kick in my side and I grimace in pain and stop for a second.

"Teddy! Are you okay?!" Owen asks me, alarmed.

"Yes, yes, yes. It's just..." I want to rub my side so desperately but I don't want to contaminate my gloves so I only do it with my elbow, I can feel a lump forming in my side, maybe her tiny foot or elbow. She has become _really_ active in the last weeks, moving all the time, even making it difficult for me to sleep. Then I look at Lizzie and I feel guilty. While I complain about the sudden movements of my daughter she will _never_ feel that, all thanks to me, to my incompetence. Suddenly I feel an immense desire to cry.

"Teddy, I mean it! You have to step aside now. I'll finish the surgery, you go and have some rest, you've been here since yesterday morning!"

"I said I'm fine!" I shout back without being able to keep my voice from trembling. "Clamp!"

I know that Owen cares about me, he wants me to rest, but most of all he wants to keep me as far away as possible from this case, he wanted to do it from the first moment. He knew that this would be too much for me, but in my stubbornness I ignored him, I thought I could handle it, I was arrogant, I didn't want to show weakness, I didn't want to be the typical pregnant woman affected by the misfortune of another pregnant woman, because there is nothing more pathetic than seeing a pregnant woman cry, isn't it?!

I need to stop. This is getting out of control and I'm afraid of falling apart at any moment. I know I will, I can feel my collapse getting closer, but I won't do it here, not in front of an O.R. full of people, not in front of Owen. I'll do it alone, locked in an on-call room, I'll cry until I'm dry. Yes, I'm being proud.

As soon as I finish scrubbing I leave the O.R. before Owen can intercept me. I don't have time to go to the on-call room when my pager sounds requesting my presence in the pit. After treating the minor emergency, a nurse tells me that Lizzie has woken up, I've to go and update her. I don't know how I'll do it.

As I walk towards the room I feel my legs tremble and my heart beats in my ears. My little girl writhes inside me feeling my stress, I rub my side trying to calm her, it's as if she feels my touch, each time I rub my bump she calms her movements, again I think of Lizzie's baby...

When I come to the room she is awake and her husband is sitting next to her holding her hand.

I've to be professional. I've to be professional. I repeat myself again and again...

It doesn't matter how many times I repeated it... it didn't do things better. As soon as Lizzie collapsed in front of me I lost it, I couldn't stay another second in that room.

I turn around and see Owen outside. Without saying a word I walk hurriedly and I can feel his presence behind me.

"Teddy, are you okay?"

"Mhm..." No. I'm not and he knows it.

I turn around looking him in the eyes, in his eyes I can see the understanding, he knows I'm not ok, but he doesn't look at me with pity, he's just there, as always since I met him, ready to hold me.

I try to be strong but this day has been too much, I can't hold it anymore. I throw myself into his arms and fall apart. He takes me without hesitation and takes me into the darkness of a room to give us more privacy. And I cry.

I cry for Lizzie, for her baby, for her husband. I cry for me, for my baby, for Owen. I cry for the unfairness of life and situations. I cry for everything I could've done and didn't do.

"Calm down, I'm here. I got you".

_**OWEN**_

I'm starting to worry about Teddy, to worry _more_, from the moment I knew that Lizzie was pregnant I knew this was going to be difficult for her, I tried to get her away from the case as much as I could, but it was impossible, she is too stubborn. Even so, I tried to be with her as much as possible.

I thought everything was fine when she told me that her embolization had worked, she wanted to stay to make sure everything was fine, I wanted to send her home, I could see how tired she was, she kept stretching her back and massaging her side. But it was in vain, she didn't want go anywhere, so I pulled a chair next to her, rubbed her swollen feet and we talked and laughed a little until my words fell into silence, she was deeply asleep. I took the blanket and covered her completely, tucking it under her chin. A few hours later everything came downhill, the baby bottom down and although there was the possibility of saving the baby with a new clinical trial from the beginning I knew it was a lost cause, we ended up performing a hysterectomy.

That brought down Teddy, she hoped to save that baby, she wanted to save that baby. I wanted to save her.

I lock the door of the room and lead her to the bed. She doesn't put up any resistance, she lets herself be carried away by me. I lay her on the bed and lay next to her. She snuggles to my side and keeps crying. I hold her tightly, I hate to see her like that, I hate that I did nothing else to get her away as much as possible from this case that I knew from the beginning that would affect her.

"You have to calm down, Teddy, this doesn't do you or our daughter any good". I tell her in an attempt to calm her down.

After a few minutes her crying becomes quiet sobs.

"It was a girl". She tells me out of the blue. "She was still moving Owen, when Carina pulled her out... she was still moving."

"I know, I know".

"I thought I had saved her. As much as I try to remember everything I did, I don't know where I failed".

"Hey, hear at me. You didn't fail in anything; you did everything humanly possible to save that baby. You gave it all".

"But it wasn't enough". She tells me sounding like a scared little girl.

"It was, and you know it, maybe now you don't see it, but you know you gave it all". I answer and I give her a kiss on the head.

"Owen... what if... if it were me? What would you do?" She asks me, taking me by surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"If I were in Lizzie's place... Who would you choose?"

"Teddy that—"

"Just be honest, Owen. I know you would choose our daughter, but... I want to hear it".

I shift in bed getting up on my elbow looking at her. "Teddy, why are you asking me that?"

"Because I want to know" She answers me, bluntly. "It's something that can happen... it could've been me in that car accident".

"I... I don't want to think about that, Teddy. Please".

She doesn't insist anymore; she turns giving her back to me. I don't want to think about that, much less answer to it, I don't want to think about the possibility of losing her or our daughter, I don't want to think about the pain of having to choose one or the other... I couldn't, I would rather give my life in exchange than lose one of them.

We both remain silent and only our breaths and the quiet bustle of the ICU can be heard outside.

I'm so tired that I soon fall asleep.

_**TEDDY**_

I wake up at some point in the middle of the night, I look at my wristwatch, it's almost three in the morning.

Owen is asleep next to me in the small hospital bed, with his hands placed on his chest, even asleep when he looks military. I can't help but smile softly. Soon a kick from my daughter makes me wince in pain. For a few days the back pain has become almost unbearable.

I sit in bed waiting for the pain to subside, but I'm not lucky. I take a few steps around the room and the pain remains the same. I sit back on the bed massaging my back when I don't know how or why my mom comes to mind.

My mom. Always so sweet, so wise, so loving. I wonder what she would say about this messy situation with me and Owen.

What would she say that she is going to be a grandmother? I'm sure she would be over the moon, always taking care of me, giving me advices... but she isn't there, I won't listen to her always wise advices, she won't see her granddaughter, my daughter won't know her grandmother... I am completely alone.

Suddenly my mom's absence hits me hard. In one way or another I got used to not having her in my life and her beautiful presence became just a memory. The most beautiful of memories. I suffered so much after her death, I still didn't recover from losing my father just 11 months ago when I lost her and a month later to Allison. I lost everyone.

God, I miss her so much! Why now more than ever? Now more than ever I need her, I need my mom, one of those tight hugs that managed to make me feel better in the darkest days. Her soft voice telling me that everything would be fine, that together we would get ahead.

I need her here to tell me if all these changes that I feel in me are normal. I need her to take my hand while I give birth. For her to hold her granddaughter and tell me what to do when motherhood overwhelms me. Surely she would put her hand on my shoulder, then take my daughter in her arms and tell me how to do it.

That will stay there, in my imagination. My mother is dead and I don't have anyone.

_**OWEN**_

When I wake up the room is still dark the same outside the window. I see the silhouette of Teddy sitting on the bed, she moans and rubs her side, as she has practically done since yesterday morning.

"Teddy, are you okay?" I ask, sitting next to her.

"Yes... it's just my back, it hurts." She answers me and I can hear the discomfort in her voice

"You have to go to rest properly, you've been here since yesterday night and it's—" I look at my wristwatch. "It's 3 in the morning! Teddy, you've been here since yesterday at 6 in the morning. Over 40 hours here without resting!"

"I'm fine, Owen." She tries to argue. I get up of bed and stand in front of her. Even in the darkness of the room I can see how her eyes shine with pooled tears.

"If you were ok you wouldn't be complaining or in pain. Don't be stubborn Teddy, do it for our daughter, she needs for you to rest so that she will rest". My voice is authoritarian but soft, I don't want to sound harsh but I want her to understand, I know her, I know how stubborn she can be, but this time her stubbornness is not only affecting her, but also our daughter.

I stand in front of her with my hands on my hips, firm. She doesn't look at me, she looks down at the floor while still rubbing her back.

"I don't want to go home... God, I don't even have a home, I don't have anything!" She says, softly and then burst into tears.

Again I hug her quickly.

"I feel so lonely". She tells me out of nowhere and I freeze.

I take her face soaked in tears between my hands and look into her eyes. "You're not alone, Teddy".

"I... I miss her, I miss my mom. I need her". She tells me to then break down again in my arms.

I hug her tightly, as if my hug would erase the pain she has been dragging since the day she lost her mother, but at least I try or so I want to think. I want to think that my hug will give her the necessary peace to know that she is not alone, that she has me, that we will soon have our daughter, that we will be a family.

"You have me". I repeat it over and over again, although I don't know if she listens to my words. "Do you feel better?" I ask after a while when her cries became hiccups.

"No, but I'll be".

"Let me take you home. You've to rest. Please?" I tell her, in a pleading voice, hoping that this will persuade her.

"I don't want to go to the hotel, Owen, really. I'll stay here, at least here there are nurses and doctors. I need to hear noise or I'll go crazy in the silence of my hotel room".

"Let's go to my house then".

She looks at me doubtfully and scratches her nape. "I... I don't know if that will be a good idea".

"Why not?" I ask, confused. She looks at me with a mixture of incredulity and annoyance. "What?"

"Until a week ago Amelia lived there and now you want me to spend the night in her house?" She answers to me defensively.

"Ok, for starters, it's not _her_ house, it's _my_ house, I bought it long before we got married, it's _my_ house and it will always be _my_ house".

She seems to calm down a bit. "I don't know Owen... I—"

"I don't want my best friend and the mother of my daughter to stay in a hotel room, please Teddy, don't be stubborn".

I don't know if she's too tired to argue back and that's why apparently I've convinced her, she sighs deeply and nods slowly.

I take her hand to help her out of bed and we both head for the parking lot. We don't even bother to change our scrubs, which we have been wearing for two days. But Lizzie's case was intense, there was no time to eat, much less to sleep or take a shower.

I just hope that all this stress and fatigue are not bad for Teddy and our daughter, I know her and I know that it will take a couple of days for her to overcome this completely. Now more than ever I have to be next to her to stop her from falling into that black spiral of guilt. I don't want to be arrogant, but I'm the only one who can avoid it, I'm the only one who knows how to handle her crisis and she is the only one who knows how to handle mine.

Before leaving the hospital I call Alex telling him the situation, or at least as much as possible without giving Teddy's state of mind completely away, I ask him for the day off for both and he immediately accepts.

I drive to my house through the dark and lonely streets of Seattle, luckily Meredith offered to take care of Leo so I still have a few hours to take care of Teddy and rest a bit before going to pick up Leo. Teddy looks at through window thoughtfully as she gently caresses her rounded belly with one hand. She looks tired and sad.

I want to do something to make her sadness go away, I would give everything to see her happy. I know that in part or I'm one to blame for this, maybe she wouldn't feel so alone if she had someone to share this experience with. She had Tom for a while and she was happy, although jealousy was eating me inside I could see that she was happy, and as always I ruined that happiness, Tom broke up with her after the scandal at the party. _"It's for the best"_. It was what, according to her, he told her before going back to Hopkins.

When I finally pull over the car on the driveway I turn to my side and Teddy is sound asleep.

I get out of the car and go to the other side to open her door.

"Teddy, we're here". I tell her, sweetly while stroking her hair, she wakes up and looks around a bit confused. "We are in my house. Come here". I offer my hand to help her get out of the car and she takes it.

When she stands up he grimaces in pain and bends a little. "Teddy, what's wrong?!"

"Nothing, nothing. My leg is numb, that's all".

"Ok, wait here, don't move!" I run to open the front door and the run back to her. Without thinking twice, I lift her in my arms bride style.

"Owen, what are you doing?!"

"I'll take you to bed". I didn't expect that to come out _that_ way, but I will _literally_ take her to bed, to rest, but to bed.

"You're going to drop me!" She tells, me giggling a little.

"I've lifted heavier things, trust me".

She smiles nervously at me and I take her to the bedroom that used to be Betty's and gently I laid her on the bed. I take off her sneakers and bring her one of my pajamas.

"Oh, I'm fine like this". She says, rejecting the pajamas.

"I know you're not". I tell her with a knowing look.

She shakes her head and takes the pajamas.

"Goodnight". I say giving her a kiss on the head and before turning around to leave the room she takes my hand.

"Hey, would you stay?"

_**TEDDY**_

The words are out of my mouth before I can think about what that implies. But a few hours ago we were asleep in a tiny hospital bed, I see no major problem. I _really_ need someone by my side tonight, I need _him_ tonight. Tonight more than ever in a long time.

He smiles at me with that damn Owen smile that I hate so much and love so much at the same time, the one that makes everything inside me melt and my legs tremble.

"Of course. I'll go to change my clothes while you do the same. I'll be right back".

He leaves the room and minutes later he is back. I'm already under the blankets. He takes the spot next to me. "Good night, Teddy." He turns off the lamp and settles down to sleep.

Without thinking twice, I snuggle to his side hugging his torso. "Thank you". I mumble. He takes me in his arms and kisses my head. Minutes later I'm asleep, dreaming of my daughter, Owen and mother…


	2. Chapter 2

_***** ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE *****_

**_Never go to architecture school guys, it's a trap!_**

**_Joking, but I should be finishing my project to go back home as soon as possible, to my USB with all my other fics and be able to update them, but here I am, updating this fic while listening to "She's The One" by Robbie Williams and planning more stories in my head, why am I like this?_**

**_Anyway,_****_ hope you like this little fic that I'll be updating as much as my homework allows me while I return home which won't be in a week but until Easter break :( sorry! I hope that by then you are still interested._**

**_Enjoy and let me know what you think!_**

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_**OWEN**_

The next morning when I wake up Teddy is not by my side. Her part of the bed is done and the pajamas I lent her are neatly folded over the pillow.

To be honest I saw it coming, or at least I knew that Teddy wasn't going to accept to stay in my house longer than necessary but I expected her to stay all day, I expected to take care of her all day.

I look at the clock. 8:00 a.m. I slept almost four hours. I get out of bed and take a shower and then go to Meredith's to pick up Leo. I've nothing else to do the rest of the day, I had asked Alex the day off to be with Teddy but she left, I guess to her hotel room, she wants to be alone, it's what she always does when she's hurt, isolate herself. I know I should give her space and I would give it to her if the circumstances were different; I know she isn't ok and I'm afraid for her health and our daughter's. I fear that all this stress can lead to premature delivery.

I leave my house to pick up Leo, on the way I try to get in touch with Teddy, I call her a couple of times, but she doesn't answer the phone. Once I have Leo with me I take him to the playground. I put him on a swing. Next to me is a man swinging his little girl while watching her son play in the slides. That will be me in a couple of years, I'll come here with Leo and my little girl... maybe Teddy too, we'll come to bring the children, together.

I'm lost in my daydream when my phone interrupts me. It's Teddy. Thank God.

"Teddy! Where are you? How are you? Do you feel better?" I bomb her with questions.

_"I'm fine, Owen. I'm working, I saw your missed calls, sorry I couldn't answer I was in surgery... I just called to thank you for what you did for me last night"._

"Are you what?! Teddy, you have the day off, you should go to rest, after the last days your body needs a rest! Please, Teddy, don't make me go for you and—"

_"Owen, Owen stop! I'm fine, I need this, I need to keep my mind occu—"_

Teddy stops talking and I can hear a loud moan, almost a scream.

"TEDDY! ARE YOU OK?! TEDDY, ANSWER ME!"

I can hear a bustle of people, someone asking to page OB, someone asking for a stretcher, but I can't hear Teddy. I'm sweating and my heart is pounding in my ears.

_"Major Hunt, it's Dr. Parker! Major Altman was taken by OB, she fainted, but she's already being checked"._

"Parker, stay with her I'm on my way!"

_"Yes, Major!"_

I take Leo and I run to my car. I put him safe in his baby seat and drive as a fireball to the hospital, arriving I give Leo to one of the interns to take him to the daycare and I run to the OB floor.

I see Parker at the nurses' station and immediately I go to him.

"Parker, update me!"

"I still don't know much Major Hunt; Dr. Deluca is still working on Major Altman. We were leaving the OR, I was updating the file and she was talking to you when I heard her scream and then she passed out".

"Ok, ok Parker. Thank you very much for staying with her".

"You are welcome, Major".

I go to the room where Parker told me Teddy is. Carina is making some notes in her clinical record. She is asleep, connected to a cardiac monitor, a pair of IV bags and around her bump there are two belts of the fetal monitor.

"Deluca, how's she? How's the baby? What happened?!" I ask Carina.

"She's not entirely ok, Dr. Hunt". She tells me and my blood runs cold. "She fainted, her blood pressure is alarmingly high and the baby is in some distress, she's having contractions and although they are not regular technically she's in labor. I'm doing everything possible to stop the contractions but if I don't succeed we will most likely have to deliver the baby".

"What? No, she... she's only 33 weeks old!"

"I'd give her tocolytics to stop the contractions for a couple of days and that would give us time to administer corticosteroids to help the baby's lungs develop as much as possible. They will be fine".

"I know, it's just that..." _We're not ready_, I wanted to say. It's the truth, but in one way or another it makes me feel ashamed. Our daughter will be born soon, maybe in two days and she doesn't even have a crib! We were so caught up in other affairs that we forgot her... we forgot our daughter.

"I know it's scary". Carina says putting her hand on my shoulder and giving me a light squeeze. "Bringing in and taking care of a human being is scary, even more so if you have to deal with a premature baby, but I assure you Dr. Hunt that I'll do everything possible so that both your daughter and Dr. Altman are ok".

I can only nod solemnly. "How is Teddy? Is she asleep, sedated?"

"She's sedated, when she woke up from unconsciousness she was very anxious and that was affecting her blood pressure, she'll be awake in a couple of hours. And as I said, she has alarmingly high blood pressure, not to mention that she is dehydrated and underweight for this stage of her pregnancy. If we manage to stop the contractions with proper rest and feeding she'll be able to carry her pregnancy to term as normal as possible, although she'll have to stop working, that is not optional".

I chuckle humorlessly, that will be difficult, but I hope that this makes her reflect and finally stop being so stubborn and step on the brakes, for her and our daughter.

"Ok, ok. I'll make sure she rests".

"I know. I'll be giving rounds every hour to see how they're doing. Anything, don't hesitate to call me".

"Sure!".

Carina leaves me alone with Teddy. Her face, although it looks serene, I can see the expression lines on her forehead, the black circles around her eyes, I don't know how I didn't notice it before. I give a check to her cardiac monitor and the baby's, the numbers are not what I would like but I trust that everything will be fine. I pull up an armchair and sit next to her, taking her dainty hand in mine. I kiss the top. She is cold.

I don't leave her side for a second. Carina comes a couple of times and apparently the efforts to stop the labor are working, she only had one contraction in two hours and was considerably shorter than the previous ones, her blood pressure is starting regularize, as well as the baby's.

I breathe with relief.

It isn't until about three hours later that I notice her eyelids flutter, she opens her eyes and scans the room, her hands immediately go to her belly.

"Hey, hey, hey, everything is fine. She is fine". I say reassuring her and joining my hands to hers in her bump. She seems to want to tell me something, but she can't. I bring some water and she drinks the whole glass in one long gulp. "How do you feel?" I ask softly as I stroke her hair.

"Weak. What happened?"

"You fainted and apparently this little lady threatened to come out earlier, but Carina managed to stop her". I answer smiling and as carefree as possible so as not to worry her. Although inside I'm also terrified that the contractions will return and Carina has to deliver our daughter before time.

"Was I in labor?"

I nod slowly. She bursts into tears. "But Carina managed to stop it, you're fine, she's fine".

"It's my fault, I caused this... I was stubborn and I put our daughter in danger".

I take her face in my hands forcing her to look me in the eyes. "Hey calm down. Precisely this is what doesn't do you good. What happened, happened and we can't do anything to change it now. Now you and she are fine and that's what matters, okay?"

"But—"

"But nothing. Now the most important thing is that you rest and for us to get ready for when this little nugget decides to come out, okay?"

She nods biting her lip.

"Come here". I lay on the bed and pull her towards me with one arm and bringing my free hand with hers to her belly where our daughter stirs gently. "Everything will be fine, you'll get out of here and we'll spend the next months getting ready. We'll go to buy the most ridiculously beautiful and expensive crib, we'll buy new toys exclusively for her and we'll set up the most beautiful nursery ever been seen".

She chuckles. "Sure, in the hotel room?"

"Oh, about that... I don't want you to continue living in a hotel, it's not safe and less now that someone has to take care of you... I want you to move in with me".

"What?! No, no, no. I agreed to sleep there _one_ night and it was quite uncomfortable. I couldn't live in that house. I'll find my own place as soon as I leaving here".

"Teddy, you're not in a position to look for a place much less to make a move. It's a lot of work and it's the last thing you need now!"

"The last thing I need now is the permanent reminder of your love nest with your ex-wife slash girlfriend slash mother of your foster child and his teenage mother". She says getting free of my arm.

I huff. "How many times do I have to tell you that it isn't and never was Amelia's house?"

"But she lived there!"

"Are we really going to do this now, Teddy? Now what should matter the most to us is our daughter and her well-being, not Amelia. Besides, what you say doesn't make sense, it's as if you wouldn't want to work here because she works here". She remains silent for a few seconds.

"Let's clarify that this isn't permanent. It'll only be until our daughter is born, as soon as I'm fit again I'll look for my own place".

"As you wish". I say, in agreement with her.

In the end Carina orders Teddy to stay in the hospital first for 24 hours; the contractions came back a couple of hours after Teddy woke up, luckily she stopped them again, even so, what started as 24 hours became 48 hours and although the contractions didn't return, Carina and I thought it was better to have Teddy and the baby under observation.

During those two days I spend my free time cleaning the house and removing all traces of Amelia and Betty, I don't want Teddy to feel uncomfortable in _my_ house. I adapted the one that used to be Betty's room with everything needed to make it Teddy's new room, I changed all the bedding, I put an oil diffuser, I supplied the bathroom with personal hygiene products, I put flowers and went to the hotel for all her belongings and put them in the closet. Everything was ready by the time she was released from the hospital.

When was time to pick up Teddy, I went to buy a huge bouquet of pink, lilac and white tulips for her and a teddy bear for my daughter. I dressed Leo in his best clothes the same as me, and together we went to pick up Teddy at the hospital.

I wasn't ready for what received me when I entered the room.

My mother is there and she doesn't look happy when she sees me. Teddy looks distressed and sad and looks like she had cried.

"Hey, mom! What a surprise!" I say, nervously.

"I say the same, Owen, what a surprise".

"Look mom, we have an explanation—"

"Oh really? How are you going to explain to me that all this time Teddy has been here in Seattle carrying my granddaughter and any of you told me anything?"

I look at Teddy hopeless, she's just as lost and embarrassed as me. Leo stirs in my arm and the bouquet of tulips and the teddy bear are about to fall out of my other arm. I leave the things on the table and Teddy opens her arms for me to give her to Leo who immediately huddles next to her when I sit him in bed.

"Evelyn". Teddy interferes. "This is all my fault, I took too long to tell Owen about my pregnancy and once I did everything was a whirlwind. I'm so sorry, but the last thing I thought was to tell you or Megan... it was hard enough to tell Owen".

"I can imagine the whirlwind." My mother says sounding really upset. "Owen living with his ex-wife and raising two children after going to you to Germany to say he loved you and to get you pregnant... I didn't raise you to do that, Owen!"

"Things were not like that, Evelyn". Teddy says in an attempt to calm my mother. "I kicked Owen out of my house, we fought... it was only fair for him to go on with his life".

"And why did you fight? If I can know, what could be so big? Your fights are never this big, they're the most stupid fights I've ever seen!"

Teddy and I can't look each other in the eye... she's still hurt and I'm still embarrassed.

"He had slept with Amelia only the night before... and she... she sent him to Germany". Teddy says in a soft and trembling voice.

"What?!" Exclaims my mother impressed.

"No, no, no! Things were not like that either!" I intervene.

"Oh no? So it was a lie that Amelia sent you to me after having slept with you?" Teddy says, raising her voice.

"She didn't send me, nobody forced me. I went because I wanted, because I want you, because I love you".

Teddy looks at me with wide eyes likewise my mother. We are all silent looking at each other, the only thing that can be heard are Leo's babbling, suddenly Teddy starts to laugh.

"What?! What's so funny?!" I ask in an annoyed tone.

"You don't expect me to believe you, right?" She says, unable to contain her laughter.

"Why wouldn't you believe him, dear?" My mother asks confused.

"Do you tell her or do I tell her?" Teddy asks me, but this time she isn't laughing, her face is stoic and her voice shows no emotion.

"Tell her what?!"

"Oh God, Owen, stop playing stupid! After I told you about the baby you and Amelia broke up, but still you ran after her, again!"

"She's lying, right Owen? How—"

"Again, things weren't like that! You told me that there couldn't be anything between us, that we were off the table!"

"Oh, so now it's my fault?! Is it my fault that you don't know how to be alone?!"

We were both screaming and soon Leo started whimpering. "Ok, both of you stop! You are scaring the child and this doesn't do Teddy good". My mother interferes in an attempt to make us stop, but this is far from stopping. She takes Leo and asks an intern to show her the way to the garden to give him a walk. "I want this solved when I return". My mother warns us before leaving Teddy and me alone.

"You told me, Teddy! Don't deny it, you told me you didn't want anything with me. What did you want me to do? I went on with my life!"

"If you love me as much as you say, why didn't you go for me?!"

"BECAUSE I'M AN IDIOT! Okay? Because I didn't want to hurt you anymore, because I already made you suffer enough, you have given up enough for me... all I want is to make you happy... you didn't want to be with me and I thought that would make you happy... then when I saw you with Tom..." With each word I say I get closer to her until I'm sitting on the bed facing her. "I wanted to break his neck and tear his hands off you... I couldn't stand the idea of seeing you with him... it was at that moment that I realized the stupid choice I had made when I went back to Amelia... I didn't know you wanted me to go after you".

"You idiot... every day I dreamed that you would go after me". She tells me, almost crying.

"And I was an idiot... and I didn't go for you... I wanted to make you happy without knowing that I was hurting you more".

"Did you meant it... Germany... Everything you said in Germany was true?"

"Each and every one of my words".

"Then Amelia—"

"Let's not talk about her please, I don't want to talk about her".

"We have to do it Owen, I want to know what place she has now in your life! I don't want you to wake up in 3 years and realize that you made a mistake _again_".

"She was right... we fell in love over children we no longer have... our attempt of relationship was founded on Leo and Betty, they were the ones supporting and carrying our relationship... Amelia and I were never compatible on our own... and we never will be, she deserves something better".

"I… Owen... I don't know if—"

I don't let her keep talking when I catch her lips between mine, at first she resists, but she ends up yielding to my kiss, I can feel her entire body trembling under my fingers, she cuts the kiss with a soft whimper.

"Don't cry". I tell her sweetly. "I hate to see you cry, it breaks my heart, please don't cry".

"I don't want us to rush this... please, Owen. I don't want us to rush and crash". She tells me, sobbing.

"We'll do whatever you want... we will take this slowly, I will show you every day that you were always my choice... I just wanted to make you happy... and if you give me the chance I will make you immensely happy, you, our daughter, Leo and I will be immensely happy".

She smiles and kisses me again, this time with more urgency. "I missed you". She tells me with that soft voice that always makes my knees shake. "We missed you". She takes my hands and places them on her rounded belly. I kiss it again and again making her laugh.

"I love you". I say looking her in the eyes. "We will take things slowly, this time it will be your choice, it will be all about you".

We kiss again, as if we were two teenagers who have just given their first kiss and can't get enough of that new feeling. That feeling that makes the insides turn upside down and thousands of fireworks explode while leaving you dizzy with love.

"Ok, I expected things fixed, but not _so_ fixed". My mom interrupts us in the midst of a passionate kiss with Leo in a stroller that I don't know where she got it from, making us jump back and blushing like teenagers. "I see that things are clear between you two".

"Something like that... we'll take this slowly". I tell my mother, taking Teddy's hand in mine and rubbing her baby bump with the other.

"Slowly?" She asks us raising an eyebrow and looking at us questioningly.

Teddy laughs and covers her face with her free hand. "I mean we won't get married tomorrow... I want this to really work". She tells my mother, but looking at me all the time. "For us, for our daughter... for Leo".

"I'm glad for you two". Says my mom, smiling widely.

Hours later, after a final check-up in which Carina forbade Teddy to return to work and take things slowly the rest of the pregnancy; She, my mother, Leo and I went home together, we ordered takeout, we all sat down together to eat, talk and laugh.

We planned how to tell Megan that she will be auntie _really _soon. We thought about starting to plan Leo's first birthday party. In setting up the baby's room. In names for her... it didn't' take much thinking, Teddy and I agreed in less than a minute... _Allison_.

"Are you sure you agree that we name her that?"

"I'm sure... I know how important she was and is to you... without her you and I wouldn't be here, she's the reason I met you. Without her I would never have crossed your path and you mine, we wouldn't be here... waiting for her". I say placing my hand on her bump. She tries to hold back the tears, but she can't, I pull her into my arms and she cries and laughs softly likewise my mother who sheds a few tears to see us like this, together. Leo for his part doesn't understand what is happening, he is sitting in his high chair babbling and massacring his plate of mashed potatoes and his sippy cup with apple juice.

* * *

_**I know this seems rushed considering how my other fics are, but it's because this will be short :)**_


	3. Chapter 3

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

* * *

_**OWEN**_

It's been two weeks since Teddy left the hospital and has been living with me and Leo. At first it was weird, aside from Iraq we had never shared space together and certainly now the circumstances are completely different. Before we were friends, although there were feelings. Now, we're still friends, but also we'll be parents but the feelings are still there, growing.

Soon we adjust to a small routine. We both got up early together, she helped me get Leo's things ready while I got ready to go to work. She was still a little insecure about Leo, I could see it in her eyes and in her body language, it was as if she was scared of him, scared of doing something wrong, of making him cry, of making him uncomfortable. But little by little both Leo and Teddy got used to the presence of each other.

Teddy offered to take care of him so that he didn't have to spend the day at daycare, but I didn't want to give her extra work. She insisted.

"Owen, it's not work for me. I don't do anything all day anyway! This will do us good, to Leo and me, I mean he will be our daughter's brother and I-I-I'll be his... his... his".

She was an adorable ball of nerves. "His stepmother".

"Yes. Kind of. I mean yes, if you want, it's not that I—"

"Of course I want to". I said, silencing her rant and then kissing her softly on the lips. "Leo already loves you... you're amazing with him. You'll be an incredible mom, Teddy. For Leo and our daughter".

"Do you think so?"

"I don't think so. I know it".

And that's how Leo went from staying at daycare to staying at home with Teddy.

One night, after work when I get home and Teddy is propped up on the sofa reading a book while Leo is asleep peacefully on her lap hugging her baby bump and with his small face buried there.

I can't explain what I feel when I see that. My heart swells and leaps in such a way that I think I might pass out right there.

"Hey." I mumble not to wake Leo up.

"Hey, you're here". She greets me back with a smile. I go to her and kiss her gently on the lips. I give Leo a kiss on the head and rub her baby bump softly, then I go and sit with her on the sofa putting her feet in my lap.

"Come on, Major! Give me a massage". She tells me, playfully.

I chuckle and proceed to massage her feet. "How was your day? How did these kids behave today?"

"Leo was an angel… your daughter not so much. Kicking and twisting all the time".

"She'll be just like her mommy. Unable to be still for a minute. And what else did you do? My mom told me she spent the day with you".

"Yes! We went to buy groceries and then for ice cream, this little gentleman made a mess of himself. We tried coach him to say '_sister' _tho".

I can't help but laugh softly. "Really?!"

"I don't know if we succeeded, but he said _'sisi'_ so I think we did. Then we had dinner and I gave him a bath and he fell sound asleep".

"He'll be an amazing brother".

"I know, I mean, you've heard his laugh when he feels her move, how he lifts my shirt puzzled, looking for his sister".

"I love when he does that".

"I love how he babbles gibberish to my bump and pats it, that's how he fell asleep". I smile when I see him asleep hugging and with his head on Teddy's bump, as if he were protecting his little sister.

"It sounds like a fun day".

"It was. Are you hungry? I saved you some dinner".

"Later. Now I just want to be here with you".

"Okay".

"So, I was thinking... we should start to set up the nursery, you know, baby shopping and all those stuff".

Her face illuminates with the light of a thousand stars. "Really?"

"Really, this little girl will come out at any time and we should be ready. How about this weekend?"

"Yes, yes, yes! But wait... Where will we set it? There are no rooms available".

"Oh well... I was thinking... in your bedroom... I mean, you move to my bedroom... with me... and we make your bedroom the nursery".

"Oh"

It's all she says, avoiding my gaze.

"Oh? What's wrong, Teddy?"

"Nothing, it's just... I don't know if I'm ready to sleep with you... or rather, I don't know if I'm ready to sleep with you in _that_ room, in _that_ bed. Please understand that all this is still too strange for me, even if it doesn't seem so. I still have a hard time accepting that this is my house now and I spend too much time trying to ignore the past of this place and it's... it's hard, Owen".

Of course it's hard for her, I was so caught up in this beautiful time of my new life with Leo, Teddy and our baby girl that I forgot to work on her, to make her feel better in this house, in _her_ house, _our_ house. Make her feel that she belongs to this place, that its hers, that she can do whatever she wants.

"Hey, I understand. Then I propose you something, let's sell this house, move to a new one, one of your liking".

"What? No, Owen! This house is beautiful and it's perfect for the four of us... it's just that, it's only been two weeks, give me time. Please?"

"All the time you want. And so that you feel more comfortable if you want to make some changes do them, if you want to buy new furniture, paint a wall, change the dinnerware, anything that makes you feel better do it, without asking me. This is _your_ house, Teddy".

"Do you mean it?" She asks in a soft, trembling voice.

"Of course I mean it! This is _your_ house, _our_ daughter's house... _our_ house, _our_ home. I want us to make this, or any place you decide, our home".

I see that she wants to cry, but she doesn't do it so as not to wake up Leo. So she just lets her tears run down her cheeks and takes my hand in hers. "Thank you". She mumbles.

"I propose you another thing then. Let's make my bedroom the baby's room, let's get rid of everything that's there, the bed, the furniture, the curtains, the carpet, everything... let's change everything, paint the walls and buy all the baby furniture".

"And where will you stay?"

"I'll go to Leo's room"

"You can go to mine". She tells me, sheepishly. "If you want to, of course!" She hurries to say.

"I thought you said that—"

"I know, I know... you know what, forget it, it was stupid—"

"No, no, no! It wasn't stupid! But I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable, if you're not ready yet I'll give you all the time you want, ok?"

"Ok... I feel like I am… readier? A little bit more, not quite yet, but... every day I feel more comfortable. This is a very beautiful house and since you said I can do what I want with it... I've some changes in mind". She tells me smiling excited as a little girl.

"Oh yeah? And can I know what?"

"You'll see".

I reach out to kiss her and just when our lips are about to touch Leo wakes up with a soft whimper making us laugh.

"I'll take him".

I get up from the sofa and take Leo with me to his room. Once asleep, I go back to the living room and Teddy is still in the same place, looking thoughtfully to the chimney and caressing her belly. I join her, but this time sitting next to her wrapping her in my arms and joining my hands to hers. The baby moves and kicks gently.

"I can hear your wheels running fast" I say, kissing her temple. She chuckles and rests her head on my shoulder.

"It's nothing... just that… I still find all this so strange, sometimes I feel like we're going too fast and it's... it's scary, sometimes. Because all this we've been building, even if it's only been two weeks, is beautiful and frightening at the same time... I'm scared to wake up one day and realize that it's just a dream, or do something stupid and ruin everything".

"Hey, hey calm down, this won't fall apart. I mean, with my track record of stupid actions I'm the one who should be afraid, but I'm not, because this, Teddy, this doesn't have two weeks being build, this has more than 15 years, this has been building up since the first day I saw you all those years ago... our foundations are not based on a couple of years or our daughter, nor based on two weeks or two years, but on more than 15 years and this". I say, patting her bump softly. "This is the culmination of all those years building this, our reward... you told me you wouldn't go anywhere, well, I won't either. This is it, Teddy, at least for me this is it, no more stupid and reckless actions, no more thoughtless and rushed decisions... I just want to give you, our daughter and Leo the best".

She hugs me tightly giving me a kiss on the chest. "I know, Owen".

We remain embraced in silence until she lets out a yawn. "Ok, time to go to bed, lady". She smiles sleepily.

"Sleep with me". She says. I just give her a smile, offer her my hand and we go to the bedroom.

We put on our pajamas and settled down in bed to sleep. I spoon her with my hands protectively on her baby bump and minutes later we drift off to sleep.

Come the weekend the three-soon to be four go to the mall to buy all the necessary for the baby's room. Since that night that Teddy asked me to sleep with her I have not returned to my old room except to take clothes. It was a silent agreement, from that moment on we would sleep like what we are, a couple. A couple that is about to be parents.

We walked the mall, Teddy beside me with her arm linked to mine and her other hand placed on her belly and I pushing Leo in his stroller. We go in and out of stores. We buy some things here and there. Chest of drawers, carpets, curtains, toys, changing table. Teddy wants both walls and furniture to be white. Only curtains, blankets and bedding in pink.

I agree with her, especially because I don't know anything about decoration, it's not that I'm not excited about buying everything for the baby's room, with Leo I didn't have that option, basically everything was donations from Meredith or necessary purchases that we made through internet. I never walked the shopping centers looking for everything specifically for him so this is also new and exciting for me.

After a few hours walking the mall we look for a cozy place to eat. People look at us smiling, an old lady even comes to us to tell us how beautiful our son is and how beautiful family we are. Teddy smiles with watery eyes, Leo babbles and claps, I thank the woman.

"I don't want to be cocky but you're right, my family is beautiful". I say to the lady taking Teddy's hand in mine.

After eating and resting for a moment we go back in search of the last article that we need. The crib.

We have toured several stores, but Teddy seems not to like any. We even search the internet during lunch, but nothing. It's not until a waitress tell us about a huge baby shop.

The only problem is that it's on the other side of the city. It has been a busy day and I don't want to tire Teddy more than necessary, but I know it's a lost battle from the moment she looks at me with her huge green eyes and a smile. We leave the restaurant and go to the other side of the city for our daughter's crib.

Upon arriving Teddy walks through the store adding more items to the cart. Pacifiers, blankets, stuffed animals, diaper bags, bottles, monitors, clothes, and more toys for Leo... the car is overflowing with articles and for a moment I can only think about how we'll put all that in the car along with the items that we had already bought that morning and that barely fit in the trunk, but I forget as soon as Teddy shows me a new item. We are like children in a candy store.

When we finally reach the crib section Teddy goes crazy and I with her, they are all beautiful. After checking all our options, we choose a white crib with vintage touches, it's beautiful. I can't help but imagine it in the baby's room once we set up everything, our little girl sleeping there and Teddy at her side watching her sleep. It makes me want to cry with joy.

We go back home tired but happy for the productive day we had, it was just what we needed. Now everything is taking shape, everything starts to be more real, our daughter will be here at any time and now we are ready to welcome her.

The next day, Teddy and I paint the room, taking advantage that Meredith came for Leo to take all the children to the playground. We swore we would never play with the paint, but the truth is that it was inevitable, I think every parent does it when they are setting up the baby's room, and how not to do it? It is a special, unique moment. The moment in which one start to give shape to the space that will be occupied by that tiny human, is a moment of joy and that joy is reflected in a good paint war.

"You threw it in my mouth!" Teddy shouts, laughing and spitting.

"And you threw it in my eyes!"

"This nursery will be a mess!" We laugh.

"Come here". I bring her to me and clean her face with a cloth. Then she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me tenderly. We kiss and we kiss until it seems that kisses are not enough. Teddy takes my shirt off and I look at her for approval before taking hers off too. She nods biting her lip and I don't waste a second to do it.

We go kissing and stumbling to _our_ bedroom, I sit on the bed and Teddy straddles my legs, just as we are about to go further the doorbell interrupts us.

"Ignore them, they will get tired and leave". She tells me seductively. It's not that I thought to open the door. To hell with them.

But the person on the other side of the door is too insistent, it seems they've hung up on the doorbell.

"Let me-let me go get rid of them. I won't take long. Wait for me". Teddy gets out of my legs huffing and I run to get rid of whoever is on the other side of the door.

I open the door with a huge frown to show how upset I am by their interruption.

"HEY EEYORE, SURPRISE!"

Megan jumps to hug me.

She's here.

She still doesn't know anything about the baby.

Teddy is half-naked in the next room.

Dammit…

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**Thoughts? **

**How do you think Megan will react?**


	4. Chapter 4

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

_**Little chapter just to set the end of this fic.**_

_**I hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

_**TEDDY**_

_"HEY EEYORE, SURPRISE!"_

Megan.

Dammit.

I can hear some shrieks in the living room, she asks Owen how he is, why he hasn't called and what he is doing.

_**OWEN**_

"What were you doing? Why are you so sweaty and… disheveled?"

_"I was painting your niece's nursery and about to have sex with Teddy when you knocked on my door"._ I think, but obviously I don't say it, although I know that I've to tell her the part about her niece.

"Oh I was just... I was—"

"Do you have company?" She asks me in a naughty tone.

"Something like that. Look, Megan, I have something to tell you. Important. Why don't you get comfortable and I'll come back in a minute?"

"Okay. But, is everything okay?"

"Yes, yes, everything is in order!"

"Ok, don't take too long".

_**TEDDY**_

I stick my ear to the door so I can eavesdrop the conversation between Owen and Megan, but I can't hear very well.

Suddenly Owen opens the door making me jump back.

"It's Megan, she's here!" He whispers nervously through clenched teeth.

"I know! I heard her, what will we do now?!"

"We have to tell her".

"I know that too! By how?!"

"I don't know, I don't know and there's no time to plan something because she's out there and I told her I had something to tell her so now we've to go out and tell her!"

"She's going to hate us". I say, biting my lip and frowning mirroring Owen's face.

"She will... but only a for few minutes. It's Megan, she'll be happy. This isn't bad, Teddy, on the contrary". He says, placing his hand on my bare bump.

I can't help but smile and give him a soft kiss on the lips. "Well, it's not bad if we only tell her the baby part. But the rest? Germany, Amelia, Leo, Betty, Tom? I mean, it's too much!"

_"Owen, what's taking you so long?"_ Megan shouts from the living room.

"We have to go, we'll figure it out, if she asks we'll tell her, if not, we won't mention anything".

"Don't be stupid, it's Megan, she'll ask all the questions".

"Then we'll tell her in the simplest way... how we told my mom. Now let's go before she comes here".

"Okay"

"But wait, before... put something on". He tells me by pointing with his index finger at my bare chest. I hadn't realized that I was only wearing my yoga pants.

"Oh my god, Owen! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you are a beautiful half-naked vision". He says, taking me in his arms and kissing me slowly.

"Wait, wait. We've to go with Megan". I say cutting the kiss. I take a shirt from the drawer and put it on.

We both go out to confront Megan.

We go to the living room and Megan is sitting on the sofa with her back to us. Owen clears his throat to get her attention. She gets up and turns around and as soon as she sees me her eyes and mouth open wide and she drops her cell phone to the floor.

"Oh my God... oh my God, Teddy... you, you, you—". She's shocked.

"Surprise". I say, shrugging shyly.

"Who…?"

Owen holds me by the waist and puts his other hand on my baby bump, I put mine on top of his and I can see the realization on Megan's face.

"WHAT?! AAAAH!" She runs quickly to hug us. "A BABY, YOU'LL HAVE A BABY, WE'LL HAVE A BABY, I'LL BE AUNTIE!" She shrieks enthusiastically like a little girl.

Then she frees herself from our group hug and slaps Owen on the head. "Why didn't you tell me anything, you idiot?!" She pretends to be upset but her eyes and her huge smile tell me that she is immensely happy.

"Oh, we... we had a lot of things to figure out and the time went by very quickly... But we were going to tell you, I swear!" I say.

"Oh yeah? When? On my nephew or niece's one-year-old birthday party?"

"Megan, don't be exaggerated". Says Owen. "Besides we..."

"I had a little scare... But now I'm fine! I just have to rest for the rest of the pregnancy". I say, as soon as I see Megan's worried expression. "We didn't have time for anything else, besides Leo takes a lot of time too".

"Leo? Who is Leo? IS IT A BOY?!" Megan asks, placing her hands on my belly.

I look at Owen waiting for some support, I had no idea that in addition to my pregnancy Owen didn't tell Megan about his decision to adopt a baby.

"Oh no, it's not a boy". I say. "It's a girl, Leo is—"

"A LITTLE GIRL?!" She yells and again hugs me. "But then who's Leo?"

"It's my foster child". Says Owen and Megan is speechless. "I applied to be a foster parent before Teddy returned from Germany to tell me she was pregnant".

"Wait a minute, then... you guys were not together when Teddy found out about the baby?" We shake our heads solemnly looking at the floor like punished children. "Why?!"

"Why don't we sit down to tell you everything?" Owen says, guiding us both to the living room.

Owen goes to the kitchen to make some coffee while Megan and I wait in the living room.

"How have you been? You look beautiful, Teds. Pregnancy is suiting you wonderfully". Megan tells me, sweetly patting my baby bump.

"Thank you. Good, I've been good all things considered, except for that little scare all is good, amazing I'd say".

"I'm glad you're okay, that you and Owen are okay".

"I know. I'm so happy to see you".

"Me too. And I'm sorry I interrupted you in the middle of... you know".

"What?! We weren't—"

"Your shirt is backwards, you are not wearing bra, Owen's pants are unbuttoned and his zip is down and was all sweaty and still panting when he opened the door... it's okay, a girl needs love".

"Oh, my God, Megan!" I say, ashamed, feeling the blush running through my face.

"Come here, you silly girl". She tells me and wraps me in her arms.

We both hug and then Owen interrupt us with cookies, coffee and chamomile tea for me. "So... now you're going to tell me what happened? But first button up your pants that the only thing I can visualize is the two of you in the middle of _that_ and I don't want distractions".

Owen button up his pants immediately and takes the place on the couch next to me.

We proceed to tell Megan everything that happened since the day I arrived in Seattle after she was found alive until the moment of our reconciliation. Megan goes through all the states, from surprised and upset to sad and happy...

"So... You are telling me that when she came back you were living with your ex, a foster baby and a drug addict teenager? Why, Owen?"

Owen doesn't know what to say, we've had this conversation so many times and I know how emotionally draining it is for Owen so I decide to intervene for him.

"Megan, Owen and I've already talked about that, many times, we've gone through it more times than I can remember and everything is clear between us... I don't want to be rude, you know I love you with all my heart, but I'd prefer for this to stay between Owen and me. Ok? That's between Owen and me, as a couple".

Owen looks at me with sympathy and I can see the gratitude in his eyes. He reaches his hand to take mine and gives me a slight squeeze.

"Ok, ok I understand... oh guys, I'm so happy you're together, I always knew that you were made for each other. And now I think my mom owes me 100 bucks".

I can't help laughing "Why?!"

"When I was in the hospital she said she gave you one year to be together, I said a year and a half".

"You two were making bets behind our backs?!" Owen exclaims pretending offended.

"We've been making bets behind your backs for the past 15 years, you pair of idiots!"

We all laugh. Then we are interrupted by someone knocking on the door, quite frantically I must say. Owen gets up to open the door and Evelyn walks in as a fireball.

"OWEN, MEGAN IS—!

"Megan is here, mom!" Megan says and Evelyn looks at her in surprise.

Apparently she was coming to warn us that Megan was visiting, but she arrived too late, in the end the four of us burst into laughter.

Finally everything is falling into place, there are no more secrets, we are all good, we are all together, in the same page. I can't help but look back to those days when I didn't know how to tell Owen that we would be parents, how everything we have now was just a dream for me, but no more. And now I'm literally living my dream and in a few more weeks my dream will be completed with the arrival of our little girl.

Our family will be complete, that family we dreamed of for years.

Nothing can go wrong now...

* * *

_**Sure, nothing can go wrong...**_


	5. Chapter 5

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

_**Damn, last chapter sank worse than the Titanic but anyway, let's finish this, penultimate chapter!**_

_**I should be sleeping but after midnight is when inspiration usually hits me, **_**_this chapter goes especially for Luiza and the guest who reviewed the previous chapter. xo!_**

* * *

_**TEDDY**_

It's a Saturday night, the weather is warm and outside runs a fresh breeze so I decide to open each and every one of the windows of the house to let the air come in with the sweet smell of the orange blossoms in the yard.

All the lights in the house are on. The dinner is cooking in the oven while I play with Leo sitting cross-legged on the floor of the small lobby next to the front door and in the background plays "_A View to Kill_" by Duran Duran, not very loud. I think that from now on I'll have to get used to listening to Duran Duran as low as possible, with headphones if possible, is that or waking up two babies at the same time.

Two babies.

For a second I shudder, taking care of two babies sounds like a daunting task, I don't know if I'll be able to properly raise _one_ baby, let alone two. The moment I agreed to give this relationship a try I knew that Leo would also be partly my responsibility so I can't leave him aside, neither I want.

In these weeks I've become very attached to him, after all, I'll be his stepmother, I'll live every day with him. I won't lie, at first I had mixed feelings about him, maybe it was my crazy hormones, I don't know, but I felt insecure about him, sometimes replaced, I know it was a stupid thought and I tried to throw it away as soon as it appeared, how could I feel jealous of a baby? Especially a baby like Leo, I don't know much about babies, _nothing_, I'd say, but Leo is the most charming baby I've ever met, only fussing when he's hungry and when his diaper is dirty, if he is sleepy he just snuggles in his crib or if he is with Owen or with me in our chest and falls deeply asleep. I must say that he is spoiling me. What if my daughter turns out to be the completely opposite? I'll cross that bridge when I get there, maybe her brother can teach her some good manners.

I keep playing with Leo with the strangest toy I've ever seen, supposedly it will help him walk, but at the same time it is a huge board with colored buttons, lights and different sounds and words.

"Da-da. Say daddy, Leo". I try to coach him at the same time I press the button, he looks at me with his huge hazel eyes and says "_Do-do_". "No, Da-da".

"Ma-ma". He blurts and reaches out his chubby arms towards me. I can't keep my eyes from fill with tears and a huge lump forms in my throat. I know he doesn't know what that _really _means, but it's special to me. He presses a button again and repeats what it says. "Ma-ma". He presses it again and again and again.

It's being too much for my crazy hormones so I distract him with the buttons with animal sounds before I start crying right here and scare the life out of him.

"Listen, listen! What is it, Leo?!" I say pressing the button in the shape of a dog face. He tries to imitate the sound of the barking resulting in the most ridiculously adorable imitation I've ever seen. "Good job, Leo!" I say cheerfully as I clap and he claps and squeals.

Then he crawls to me and starts to pat my bay bump. "Si-si". He says and then he gives me a kiss on the belly. I can't contain it anymore, tears roll down my cheeks.

"Yes, baby. It's your sister". I say combing his soft curls with my fingers. The baby gives kick and Leo looks at me with a surprised expression.

"Si-si". He repeats with a huge smile showing his seven tiny front teeth. I don't know how babies are supposed to behave at that age, but Leo is a very intelligent child for his age, I don't doubt that in a couple of weeks he'll be already walking and in a few months already saying whole words.

The track changes and "_Hungry Like The Wolf_" starts to play, causing Leo to clap and bounce on his bottom. I think I'm teaching him good musical tastes, I'm so proud of myself.

"Do you want to dance, Leo?!" He doesn't answer me, obviously, but he keeps clapping and bouncing and moving his head from one side to the other.

I get up and take him in my arms sitting him on my bump, I turn up the volume a little and I dance with Leo making him laugh even more. It's time to accept it, _I love_ this baby, I can't imagine my life without him.

_**OWEN**_

I drive home completely shattered in every way, physically and emotionally. It had been a marathon day in the ER that without Teddy had multiplied and on top of that the social worker had called to give me the worst news she could've given me... there was a big possibility that the judge refused me custody of Leo since I'm single.

As much as I tried to explain that I'm not single, that I live with my... _girlfriend_? That apparently wasn't very helpful, Teddy isn't listed in the adoption papers and we are not married, even so, she promised to do everything possible to convince the judge, although she didn't give good forecasts.

The mere idea of Leo going back to the foster system brings out the worst in me. He is _my_ son, _we_ are his family, I can't imagine life without him.

I pull up in the driveway and turn off the car, but I remain inside. All the lights of the house are on and the windows open while not only the curtains dance with the night breeze, inside Teddy dances with Leo in her arms to the rhythm of "_Hungry Like The Wolf_", they laugh like crazy, Leo throws his small head back laughing to the point of losing his breath.

How can I let him go? No way! I will do everything possible to keep him with us.

I get out of the car and hurry to join _my_ family.

I open the door and Teddy welcomes me with a huge smile on her lips and Leo reaches out his little body towards me to take him in my arms.

"Hey, you're just in time for the party!" Teddy says, still laughing.

I try to mask my pain and look as cheerful as possible in front of Teddy. "I see, I see! To what do we owe the celebration?"

"Oh nothing special, just that we're very happy, isn't it little one?" Teddy says, tickling Leo in the belly making him shriek. Then she comes closer to me and gives me a long, soft kiss on the lips. "Welcome home". She whispers against my lips.

She takes me by the hand and leads me to the dining room with her. "You're just on time for dinner". I place Leo in his high chair and before Teddy goes to the kitchen I take her by the wrist and turn her towards me wrapping her in my arms and catching her lips between mine in a hungry kiss, introducing my tongue in her mouth and biting her lips in a way I've never done before, but I need so much of her now. I trust my hands inside her loose shirt and just as I'm about to unhook her bra she stops me.

"Owen, wait! Not now". She says, breathlessly and points at Leo with her head.

"Sorry, sorry". I say, apologizing and leaning my forehead against hers.

"It's okay. Later, now we're going to have dinner, okay?"

I just nod.

_**TEDDY**_

Owen serves dinner for the three of us and feeds Leo, we make small talk during dinner, mostly about work. He thinks I didn't notice, but from the moment he walked through the door I could see that something wasn't right, he tried to hide it, but he should know better than he can't hide anything from me.

I could feel it in the urgent way he kissed me, as if he wanted to take everything from me, as if he were afraid of something, as if he were going to lose something. I decided not to ask anything and let him come to me when he is ready.

Later that night after putting Leo to sleep when I come to our bedroom Owen is already in bed. I join him under the blankets and he hugs me from behind giving me a kiss on the head and rubbing my baby bump gently with his hand.

We both remain silent until I can't take the tension anymore. I turn in his arms facing him.

"Owen... What's wrong?" He doesn't say anything to me, but his eyes tell me a thousand things. "You know I'm here for you, isn't it?"

"I will lose Leo". He tells, just like that, as if that were not a big thing. I'm shocked. That can't be possible.

"W-What?! Owen... that, that cannot be. Why?! You are his legal guardian, Betty and her parents signed for you to be his father".

"They did, but I still had to go through the entire legal adoption process and... the odds of not being given full custody are very high".

"But… Did they tell you why?"

"Apparently because I'm single... they want to make sure that Leo will be in a stable family nucleus".

"THAT'S BULLSHIT! We are a family, we are a stable family nucleus, we are both professionals, we have incredible jobs, we are responsible, we are together, we take care of him, he is happy with us. What more stability do they want?!"

"I don't know... but I'm so scared Teddy. I don't know what I'll do if we lose Leo. I can't lose anyone else".

"I understand you, I can't lose anyone else either. I don't know what I'll do if he's not there. But I swear I'll help you in everything I can to keep Leo, he's part of this family... he... he's our son, Owen". I say this without thinking, but feeling it completely, Owen looks at me surprised and in his eyes I can see nostalgia and at the same time joy. He was so afraid of the idea that I'd feel replaced by Leo, or, rather, that I'd feel our daughter replaced by Leo so I know what my words mean to him.

I lie on his chest and we both remain silent. My head is working a million miles per hour thinking about how to help Owen when suddenly an idea comes to my head. I must say it's something crazy, but it's something I've done before.

I spin the idea in my head again and again, in all that _that_ may implies, in how it would change my life, in how it would change Owen, Leo and my daughter's life. It's something too big to take it lightly, but if that can help us to keep Leo I'm willing to do it, although I still don't know if Owen will accept it.

"Owen".

"Hmm." He mumbles, half asleep.

"Let's get married". I blurt out.

"WHAT?!" He sits up abruptly and looks down at me surprised. I regret it as soon as I see his face. I think I've gone too far, I'm pushing things too much. I'm taking desperate measures without thinking about the collateral damage, without thinking about everything that marriage implies.

I sit up looking down, I can't look at his face, I feel my face burning with embarrassment. "Oh, nothing. Forget it. It's a bad idea I know, you probably don't want to marry me and—"

He takes my jaw forcing me to look at him. "No, no, no, Teddy is not that! I'd be honored to marry you, but not like this. I'd marry you at this moment, but not like this, not for these reasons. I don't want you to feel obligated". He tells me, sweetly

"It's not an obligation, Owen. I do this because I love you, because I love Leo and because I'd hate if he ends up back in the foster system with complete strangers. But if you don't want—"

"No, again it's not that, Teddy! I'd love to marry you, but I repeat, not like this. I don't want to push you I don't want... or rather I want to give you the wedding you deserve, a huge wedding, the wedding of your dreams".

I cup his face with my hands. "Owen, you said it yourself, we've been building this for more than 15 years, this isn't new, we're not new to each other... this is working, you, me, Leo, our daughter... a paper won't change what I feel for you, what I feel for Leo and if with that paper we can guarantee Leo's safety then let's do it, for me this is too, so what does it matter a wedding tomorrow or in 5 years? Besides, your better than anyone know that I'm not a big wedding kind of girl".

He laughs. "I know, but I was hoping to make you change your mind".

"Try it". I tell him, challenging but playfully.

He takes my face in his hands and kisses me softly. "Without trying I know it's a lost war".

"You, Leo, your mom, Megan and Nathan is all I need to make it the wedding of my dreams. You are my family, everything I need".

He gets out of bed and starts to walk around the room. "What are you looking for?" I ask, amused and curious.

He opens and closes drawers, finally from one of the drawers to the bottom he pulls out a black leather folder and a blue aqua box with white ribbon and hands them to me joining me in bed again.

"I was hoping to give you this on our daughter's birth day, but... I think now is the best time. I swear to add a ring soon, meanwhile with this I want to ask you... Teddy, would you marry me?"

I open the folder and inside there are some papers, a certificate with my name on it from the _International Star Registry_, a map of the constellation and a card with my name and coordinates.

"Owen... What is this?" I ask, truly confused.

"It's your star... I named a star after you".

I feel an icy chill running through my body and each and every one of the hairs on my skin bristle. Needless to say, I burst into tears.

"You did what?! Owen... I... I don't know what to say". I say, sobbing.

He takes the blue box and opens it, inside is a sterling silver bracelet with a circular charm engraved with my name and the same coordinates as the certificate. He takes my hand and places it to then give me a kiss on the top.

"As corny as this sounds, you are my guiding star... all these years you've guided me and finally I am on the right path... you guided me, without you I'd still be lost".

"I love so much. Nobody had ever done something like this for me". I say, with a trembling voice.

"It's the least I can do... you're practically giving me everything. No matter how many things I give you for the rest of my life, _nothing_ will compare to what you are doing for Leo and this". He says placing his hand on my baby bump.

"I'd do it as many times as necessary, that's what families do, Owen".

"And I have the best family of all... Oh, she agrees!" He exclaims when the baby kicks against his hand.

"She certainly does. Isn't it little one?"

Owen takes me back in his arms and lays me down gently while he kisses me. His hand runs through my legs trusting it under my dressing gown coming to my underwear, he cuts the kiss to look me in the eye waiting for approval, I catch his lips again and without saying anything he already knows the answer.

So this is it. This is really it. We'll get married, we'll officially be a family, not that we are not one now, but it'll be official, on paper. He will be mine and I will be his. Now we just need our daughter to be here with us to be complete. I can't wait and apparently neither she can…


	6. Chapter 6

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

_**So, the last chapter, with all my love for you. I hope to be back soon with more fictions. Ciao!**_

_**Enjoy and let me know your **_**_thoughts :)_**

* * *

_**TEDDY**_

As soon as the news of our marriage were out, Owen and I were bombarded with hundreds of questions and comments, most of them unrequired.

_"It isn't too soon?"_

_"You don't need to get married to raise your daughter together"._

_"Marriage is something serious"._

_"Wouldn't you like to wait a little longer?"_

Owen and I just smiled and nodded, but inside we rolled our eyes.

The first times I clarified that we were doing it mainly for Leo, and all the drama of his adoption, but when they began to question my love for Owen I decided to let them think what they wanted. We don't owe them any explanation. Owen and I know what we feel.

He loves me, he shows it to me every day and I love him just the same. A piece of paper won't change or intensify how I feel about him or Leo. Our signatures on a paper that says that now we are Mr. & Mrs. Hunt won't change our plans to be together with or without it. And while it won't change our feelings, that small paper will give us the power to keep Leo forever. He is ours, he can't go with strangers, we love him, he already loves his little sister and surely she will love him just the same. We are family.

The only ones who didn't ask any kind of questions and instead screamed and jumped with emotion were Evelyn and Megan. Megan left everything in LA to come and help me with the preparations, even when I told her that it wasn't going to be a big ceremony, just my favorite people in the City Hall and a dinner in a restaurant. No more. Even so, she insisted on coming to help me find a dress and help Owen find the perfect rings. How to say no?

Two weeks later we had everything ready. Not that it was a lot, my dress and Owen and Leo's suits, our appointment at the City Hall and a reservation at the Space Needle's restaurant. We don't need anything else, we are happy and yes, why not, excited.

We were so excited that we forgot that, at any moment, literally at any moment, our daughter could be born. I was already over 38 weeks, I felt heavier and more tired every day. We wanted to get married and have all adoption papers done before she was born and between her and Leo take practically all our time.

It's the night before the wedding and we're all having dinner at Evelyn's house. I can't explain how I feel about being at the table with all these people, _my_ people, _my_ family. Megan, Nathan and Farouk; Evelyn, Owen, Leo and me. This is real, this is now my reality, each and every family reunion will be like this. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Birthdays. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry.

"So... you two have already thought of names for my niece?" Megan asks as she places the plates for dessert. "I don't know. Don't you like _Eloise_? Like her favorite auntie". We all laugh.

Owen puts his arm around my shoulders and places his other hand on my baby bump. "In fact we have thought of names and no, none of them is Eloise".

"I hate you. But tell me, what will that princess be named? Oh, my God, I still can't believe that you two will be parents! I already want to meet my niece! I hope she looks like Teddy, God forbid her to have your face, Eeyore".

"Megan!" Evelyn scolds her, but we all laugh.

"I hope she has his eyes, and his hair". I say, looking at Owen and giving him a soft kiss.

"Oh no, she has to have your eyes!" He answers me and kisses me back.

"Ok, ok, ok, stop you two. This is a family reunion". Nathan says, making everyone laugh again.

"But tell us the name!" Evelyn exclaims.

"She will be named in honor of the person for whom Teddy and I are together, for whom our paths crossed". Says Owen, looking into my eyes.

"Allison". I say and look at the rest of the family with teary eyes. "She'll be named Allison".

Everyone at the table already knew Allison's story perfectly, so no further explanations were necessary. Evelyn and Megan shed a few tears and Nathan reached out his arm across the table to give me a squeeze in the hand with a sweet smile.

The rest of the evening we keep laughing and talking hundreds of anecdotes. We are all gathered in the living room, Leo and Farouk have long since gone to sleep, Megan is curled in Nathan's side, Evelyn on the sofa next to them covered with a blanket and I lying on Owen's chest between his legs while he gives me occasional kisses on the head and in no time takes his hands off of my bump. I'm almost about to fall asleep when I feel a painful twinge that makes me sit straight clutching my baby bump with both hands.

"WHAT HAPPENS?! TEDDY, WHAT'S WRONG?!" Owen asks me, worriedly. The expression of everyone else changes immediately to one of concern.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no, no, no, no!"

"WHAT?!" Megan exclaims rushing to kneel next to me. "DOES SOMETHING HURT? WHAT HAPPENS?!"

"I think my waters broke". I can say after the pain diminishes and I feel my thighs soaked.

I start to panic. Owen tries to calm me down, but I can see the panic in his eyes too. I'm not ready, we have everything ready, but _I _am _not_ ready. I'm terrified, terrified of failing, terrified of doing something wrong, of hurting her, I think of all the cases that I've treated in the ER, babies that come on the verge of death all because a _tiny_ unintentional neglect of their parents, a blink.

I don't know if I'll be able to endure hours of labor, I don't know if I'll be able to hold her properly, to calm her cries, to nurse her. No, I can't do this.

"I can't, Owen I can't, I can't do this. She has to stay in there!" I tell Owen, sobbing.

He smiles at me with all the tenderness of the world. "It's time Teddy, I'm not ready either, I'm scared too, but we'll do it. You are good, you are strong, you are intelligent and loving, and I'm going to be with you at all times, helping you".

"We will be, all of us". Megan says, placing a lock of hair behind my ear and cupping my face.

"You are not alone Teddy my dear, this is your family and we will all help you, we will help you two". Evelyn adds

Suddenly a great part of my fear seems to vanish, they are right, I'm no longer alone, they are my people now, my family.

In a matter of minutes Owen, Megan and I are on our way to the hospital. Megan behind the wheel and Owen next to me in the back seat, holding me all the time, whispering words of love and encouragement in my ear. As soon as we arrive at the hospital I'm admitted and moments later I'm lying in a bed with a gown, connected to an IV, a cardiac monitor, a fetal monitor, sweating and panting.

"You are 4 centimeters dilates Dr. Altman". Carina informs me.

"Oh, tell me Teddy, please. It makes me feel more in confidence". I tell her.

"And to me Owen". Owen adds.

"Ok, as you two wish. Everything looks good Teddy, your little one is in perfect position, now we just have to wait, be patient and courageous. Ok?"

I just nod scared.

"Is there anything I can do for her, for them?" Owen asks.

"Everything! Now you are her biggest support, Owen. Don't leave her—"

"I didn't plan to do it". Owen interrupts her and Carina smiles at the both of us.

"Don't leave her side, help her to move, take small walks, clean her sweat, anything that makes more bearable all this experience for her".

"Ok, I'll do it".

"Oh, and one last thing. Of everything Teddy says don't take anything personal, she's in pain and anxious, she will scream and curse, but she loves you. Now I'll leave you two alone and I'll be back in an hour or so to see how everything is progressing".

We both thank her and she leaves us alone.

Time goes by slowly and literally painfully. Owen helps me move on the bed, massages my back and my feet, helps me take walks through the corridor, distracts me with silly jokes and talks. Carina comes and goes, 5 centimeters, 7 centimeters, 9 centimeters, by 11:00AM, after more than 12 hours in labor finally I'm ready to push.

"Ok, Teddy, Owen, ready to have a baby?!" Carina asks, standing at the foot of the bed between my legs. We nod energetically and smiling.

Owen sits behind me and I lean heavily on his chest. "You can do this Teddy; this is almost over". Owen whispers with his lips against my head.

"This is just the beginning, Owen". I answer, laughing tiredly.

"It will be the best adventure, you'll see". I can hear his voice start to break.

"In the next contraction I want you to give me a huge push, Teddy". Carina instructs me.

A contraction comes, Owen holds me tightly and I cling to his arms on my belly, letting my head fall back, burying it into his neck and pushing with all my might, moaning loudly.

"That's it Teddy, that's it, she's crowning!"

"You're doing great, love". Owen says, sobbing.

After 4 more painful pushes the sweetest high pitched wail that I've ever heard in my life breaks the relative calm of the delivery room. Finally our little girl was born. As soon as she comes out of me Carina places her on my chest and she stops crying. Owen and I can't believe it, we cover her with our arms and we laugh and cry with happiness.

She is tiny. She snuggles against my chest in a ball just as she was inside me just a few minutes ago. Her tiny feet, her teeny tiny hands in fist, her pink skin, her reddish lips and her ginger hair. All of her is perfect.

"I love so much". Owen says, kissing my temple. "I love you both so much".

"We love you too". I answer, tiredly turning to give him a soft kiss on the lips, then he rests his chin on my shoulder and together we admire our little creation.

"Hey Allison, I'm your daddy". Owen says, stroking Allison's little head, she just mewls really softly. "You did an incredible job. I'm so proud of you".

"I couldn't have done it without you. We are a team now, we are a family. We are finally complete".

"I'm dying to see Leo's face when he sees his little sister". Owen says, playing with Allison's tiny foot.

"Oh my God, my boy! Where is he now?!" I ask, worried to know where and with whom Leo is.

"Don't worry, he's with my mom; Megan and Nathan are helping her and Farouk for sure too. By the way, I've to let them know that the newest member of the family was born".

"I die to see their faces!"

"Me too!"

After Allison is cleaned, weighed and checked up she is returned to us wrapped in a pink blanket with a matching hat. Owen and I remain silent, just watching her, admiring her. Marveling at how _really _ended that night in Germany. Our sweet girl.

"Owen, I love you. I love you today, I will love you tomorrow and every day".

"I love you too, Teddy. I've always loved you, I love you more today than yesterday, but not more than tomorrow, tomorrow I will love you more, and more and more each day, until my last day".

Two weeks later Owen and I got married. It was a perfect ceremony, small, but with the right people, nobody else, nobody less. Only my family, our family.


End file.
